Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo has reportedly agreed to an agreement move to the Italian top club Juventus Turin, whose news caused complete shock in the Catalan capital.
The towering defender only made his first appearance of the season in January, when he beat fourth-tier side Barbastro in Barcelona’s Copa del Rey after recovering from a serious hamstring injury. Araujo proudly captained the club in that 4-0 win but is yet to sign a new contract with the Spanish team.
The Uruguayan international’s contract expires in June 2026 and an extension has been under negotiation since the summer. Barcelona’s precarious finances complicate any offer they can make, which has opened the door for the likes of Bayern Munich to monitor the situation as talks stall.
Now Juventus not only seems to be the favorite in the race for Araujo, but has already agreed on personal terms with the player, who is said to be open to a loan move in January Gazzetta dello Sport.
Shortly after the Italian release dropped this bombshell, the Spanish release also came out MARCA reported that Barcelona had no knowledge of any discussions between Araujo and Juve – let alone the advanced stage of such negotiations.
Given Araujo’s high reputation at the club, many refused to believe these rumors. Several insiders simply cannot imagine a scenario in which the central defender goes behind the club’s back after six and a half years together.
Gazzetta claim that Araujo is looking for a new environment after being plagued by injuries in Spain in recent years. Juventus coach Thiago Motta is keen on the move given the club’s dwindling defensive resources. Both Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal are out for the rest of the season with cruciate ligament injuries, while experienced defender Danilo is expected to be available on a free transfer this winter.